Building management systems such as building automation systems, fire alarm systems and intrusion systems are often installed within a premises such as commercial, residential, or governmental buildings. Examples of these buildings include offices, hospitals, warehouses, multi unit dwellings, schools or universities, shopping malls, government offices, and casinos.
Fire alarm systems typically include fire control panels that function as system controllers. Fire detection/initiation devices and alarm notification devices are then installed throughout the buildings and connected to the panels. Some examples of fire detection/initiation devices include smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, flame detectors, temperature sensors, and/or pull stations (also known as manual call points). Some examples of fire notification devices include speakers, horns, bells, chimes, light emitting diode (LED) reader boards, and/or flashing lights (e.g., strobes).
The fire detection devices monitor the buildings for indicators of fire. Upon detection of an indicator of fire such as smoke or heat or flames, the device is activated and a signal is sent from the activated device to the fire control panel. The fire control panel then initiates an alarm condition by activating audio and visible alarms of the fire notification devices of the fire alarm system. Additionally, the fire control panel will also send an alarm signal to a monitoring station, which will notify the local fire department or fire brigade.
Intrusion systems typically include intrusion panels and monitoring devices, where the monitoring devices detect indications of intrusions and unauthorized access at or within the building and report to the intrusion panel. The monitoring devices of the intrusion systems often include motion sensor devices, surveillance camera devices, and door controllers that communicate with the intrusion panel over a security network. Motion sensor devices can detect intrusions and unauthorized access to the premises, and send indications of the intrusions to the security panel. The surveillance camera devices capture video data of monitored areas within the premises, and door controllers provide access to perimeter and/or internal doors, in examples.
The monitoring stations will typically monitor multiple security systems for alarm signals and then notify the proper authorities. Monitoring stations are often required by regulations, making them a standard component of most fire alarm systems, regardless of age or manufacturer of the fire alarm systems' components. These monitoring stations can be administered by a third party company, the same company that provides or manufactures the fire alarm and/or intrusion systems, or a public agency, among examples.
Building automation systems will typically include one or more building automation control panels and devices that control and monitor the physical plant aspects of a building and aspects of business-specific electrical, computer, and mechanical systems. The physical plant typically includes heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, elevators/escalators, lighting and power systems, refrigeration and coolant systems, and air and/or water purification systems, in examples. Business-specific systems include computer systems, manufacturing systems that include various types of computer-aided machinery and test equipment, and inventory control and tracking systems, in examples.
More recently, it has been proposed to use connected services systems to monitor building management system control panels. In some cases, the control panels have been given network connectivity to communicate with the connected services systems; in other cases, the technicians have temporarily connected testing computers to the control panels that functioned as gateways. This has allowed the control panels to report status information to the connected services systems, which are typically administered by system companies and include, for example, databases for storing historical status information. These connected services systems will also often have remote diagnostic capabilities. As such, connected services systems facilitate the maintenance, compliance and tracking of repairs of building management systems.